ROCKFORD - Jefferson High School's Makayla Taylor became the first J-Hawk in 11 years to win a NIC-10 girls track title on Tuesday night at Guilford High School.
Taylor, a junior, ran a personal best :15.39 in the 100 meter hurdles, beating out Caroline Barker of Boylan Catholic. Barker ran the event in :15.63. Taylor's title is the first for Jefferson since Kendra Moreno took first in the NIC-10 pole vault in 2015.
Taylor also teamed up with Jalisa Robinson, Taejah Paschal and Kayliah Smith to finish third in the 4x100 relays. Taylor's strong night led an ascending J-Hawks girls track program to sixth place. Two years ago, Jefferson didn't even field a team for the NIC-10 meet, and it was the highest team finish for the J-Hawks since 2002 when the team took fifth.
Next up for Taylor and the J-Hawks is the IHSA Class 3A sectional meet on May 13 at Belvidere North. Jefferson hasn't had a girl place at state since Sherlenia Green took fifth in the long jump in 2001. A J-Hawk hasn't qualified for the girls state track meet since Moreno in 2015.
Taylor, a junior, ran a personal best :15.39 in the 100 meter hurdles, beating out Caroline Barker of Boylan Catholic. Barker ran the event in :15.63. Taylor's title is the first for Jefferson since Kendra Moreno took first in the NIC-10 pole vault in 2015.
Taylor also teamed up with Jalisa Robinson, Taejah Paschal and Kayliah Smith to finish third in the 4x100 relays. Taylor's strong night led an ascending J-Hawks girls track program to sixth place. Two years ago, Jefferson didn't even field a team for the NIC-10 meet, and it was the highest team finish for the J-Hawks since 2002 when the team took fifth.
Next up for Taylor and the J-Hawks is the IHSA Class 3A sectional meet on May 13 at Belvidere North. Jefferson hasn't had a girl place at state since Sherlenia Green took fifth in the long jump in 2001. A J-Hawk hasn't qualified for the girls state track meet since Moreno in 2015.